Evaluation Plan For The Final Project

COVID-19 Pandemic Website Project

  • Project Argument: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone around the world in many ways, from health to the economy and social life. My project aims to create a website that offers information and interpretations about the COVID-19 pandemic. The website will serve as a place for people to find information, personal stories, and timeline, helping to understand the pandemic better. The target audience includes students, researchers, educators, and the general public who want to learn more about the pandemic’s impact.
  • Topic Selection and Significance: I chose this topic because I think the COVID-19 pandemic is an important historical event that needs to be documented and understood. The spread of the virus, the global response, and the resulting changes in society provide a lot of material for historical analysis. By creating a digital archive, we can preserve primary sources, personal stories, and scholarly interpretations for future generations. This project will help ensure that the experiences and lessons of the pandemic are not forgotten.
  • Web Accessibility: I believe that making sure the website is accessible to everyone is a key priority.  The information and user interface components should be presented in different ways that users can perceive. This involves providing text alternatives for non-text content, captions for videos, and adaptable content. Users should have enough time to read and use all the content, and know how to navigate and find content. Also, all external links should be working and not expired. 
  • Metadata: Metadata will help my users to organize and find digital content. My website will use the standardized metadata terms, such as the Dublin Core terms that we learned in class, to ensure consistency and user engagement. Metadata will include descriptive tags, keywords, and categories to make it easy to search for and find content.
  • Archival Design: I think the design of the digital archive should focus on the user and have easy navigation and usability. My website will have a clean and modern interface and a categorization of content. Interactive elements, such as timelines, maps, and data visualizations, will also make the website more engaging and informative.
  • Evaluation Plan: To evaluate the success of the project, first, I believe that the information on the website must be accurate, well-researched, and comprehensive. This means the content needs to be thoroughly checked for accuracy and depth. I will ensure to find information and data only from reliable websites. In addition, user engagement is another key factor. My website should effectively engage users through interactive elements and a user-friendly design. I will conduct usability testing using different devices including laptops, mobile phones, and IPads to evaluate the website’s accessibility, navigation, and overall user experience. This will help ensure the website is easy to use and appealing to its target audience. On the other hand, I want to collect user feedback as it is essential to gauge satisfaction and identify areas for improvement. Users will have the option to fill out a survey and provide feedback to understand their experience with the website. This feedback will help refine and improve the website over time. By following these evaluation standards and methods, my project aims to create a valuable digital resource that effectively documents and interprets the COVID-19 pandemic, providing meaningful insights and information to its audience.

 

Metadata on three items

Item 1

  • Title: Notre Dame High School graduation, 1920
  • Date: 1920/06/23
  • Contributor: History San Jose Research Library
  • Rights: Public domain
  • Description: Photographer taking group portrait of graduating class at Notre Dame High School. From an album page labeled, “Graduation Day, Notre Dame, June 23, 1920.” From an album of snapshots from the Carmen & Abel Berryessa family.
  • Collection: History San Jose Online Catalog
  • Type: image
  • Format: black & White
  • Identifier: D3303C82-B59E-408B-80FC-424739432011 1998-261-1-44
  • Subject: Berryessa family, Notre Dame High School, Nineteen twenties, Students, Girls

Item 2

  • Title: Bird Behavior
  • Creator: Herald, Earl S. California Academy of Sciences. Cogswell, Howard L.
  • Date: 1955-05-30
  • Contributor: California Academy of Sciences
  • Rights: Copyrighted. Rights are owned by California Academy of Sciences. Description: Episode 194 of the California Academy of Sciences’ television program Science in Action features guest scientist Howard Cogswell, professor at Mills College and UC Hayward, speaking about bird behavior and presenting live birds on set. 
  • Collection: California Revealed from California Academy of Sciences
  • Type: moving image
  • Format: print, sound, black and white, 16mm film
  • Identifier: csfa_000016
  • Language: English

Item 3

  • Title: Marin City Flea Market, circa 1990
  • Creator: Kittle, Nancy
  • Date: 1990
  • Contributor: Marin County Free Library
  • Collection: California Revealed from Marin County Free Library
  • Rights: Copyrighted. Rights are owned by the Anne T. Kent California Room, Marin County Free Library. 
  • Description: For two decades, the Marin City Flea Market, held on the weekends, was one of the largest outdoor markets in the Bay Area. Vendors and visitors came from throughout the area.
  • Type: image
  • Format: original photograph
  • Identifier: csrcl_000001Q.1338.002.001
  • Language: English
  • Subject: Flea markets

Assignment: what is archive?

Project URL: https://ncph.org/project/chinese-students-at-andover-1878-2000/

The digital project “Chinese Students At Andover, 1878-2000” chronicles the journeys of Chinese students who attended Phillips Academy, an independent high school that was established in 1778 and holds a rich history that extends beyond its Massachusetts campus. I chose to explore this project because it resonates deeply with my own background as a Chinese immigrant. This website serves as a bridge between past and present, offering a bilingual exploration into the lives of these students. It features comprehensive historical context, individual profiles, archival documents in both scan and transcription forms, interactive data visualizations, and contributions from students engaged in related coursework during 2019 and 2020.

From reading the article “Theories of the Archive from Across the Disciplines”, Manoff challenges us to rethink archives not just as places to store old things, but as active parts of how we understand history today. She talks about how archives are not just collections of papers and pictures but living things that help us tell stories about who we are. This digital archive of Chinese students at Phillips Academy shows this idea in action. It uses new technology to share stories from the past in ways that speak to people today, in both English and Chinese. This is important because it lets more people connect with the history being told.

In another class reading “Archives in Context and as Context”, Theimer discusses the tension between traditional archives and digital humanities. Theimer uses a metaphor of being a tourist in a foreign country to describe the experience of an archivist trying to understand digital humanities. She highlights the different ways archivists and digital humanists use the term “archives.” Traditional archivists focus on preserving the context and provenance of records, ensuring the original order is maintained. Digital humanists, on the other hand, often create “archives” that are collections of materials selected for specific research purposes. Theimer argues that while both approaches are valid, we should understand the specific meanings and practices behind each term. For archivists, preserving the original context of records is vital to maintaining their authenticity and historical value. In contrast, digital humanists might prioritize accessibility and usability for research over strict adherence to archival principles. I totally agree with Theimer that both perspectives are important and can complement each other. I think the project on Chinese students at Phillips Academy illustrates this balance well. It maintains a strong connection to the original context by preserving and presenting archival documents, while also using digital tools to make the history accessible and engaging for a broader audience.

Personally, I think this project is significant to the Chinese community in the United States. As an immigrant from China, I am aware of the importance of preserving and sharing cultural histories in ways that are accessible and inclusive. The digital archive not only preserves the stories of Chinese students at Phillips Academy but also invites new generations to explore and contribute to these narratives. It demonstrates how digital technologies can enhance the accessibility and relevance of archival materials while maintaining their authenticity and contextual integrity. Understanding archives through this lens, I see how important it is to keep track of where things come from and why they matter. Even with new technology, like in this project, we still need to make sure the stories are true and respectful. This project shows that archives are not just about the past. They’re about how we see ourselves today and how we learn from where we came from.

For my own project, inspired by the digital archive of Chinese students at Phillips Academy, I want to make sure it’s open to everyone. I want to use technology to share stories that are important to me and my community, making sure they’re told in a way that anyone can understand and connect with. This project has taught me that archives are more than just old papers. Instead, they are a way for us to keep our stories alive and share them with the world. In conclusion, the digital archive of Chinese students at Phillips Academy shows how new technology can change how we think about archives. It’s not just about saving old things but about making sure those things matter to people today. This project challenges us to think about how we use technology to share stories and keep history alive for future generations. It challenges us to expand our understanding of archives beyond mere repositories, emphasizing their role in fostering understanding across cultures and generations.

Smithsonian Open Access

  • Website Name: Smithsonian Open Access
  • URL: https://www.si.edu/openaccess
  • Rights Statement: https://www.si.edu/termsofuse
  • Annotation: Smithsonian Open Access allows users to download, share, and reuse millions of the Smithsonian’s images, data, and collections. This includes content from the Smithsonian’s 21 museums, nine research centers, libraries, archives, and the National Zoo.

Prelinger Archives

  • Name of the website: Prelinger Archives
  • URL: https://archive.org/details/prelinger
  • Rights statement: https://archive.org/about/terms.php
  • Annotation: The Prelinger Archives provide access to a vast collection of public domain films, including historical, educational, and advertising films. The archive includes digitized films that are free to view, download, and use for any purpose.

NASA Commons site on Flickr

  • Name of the website: NASA Commons site on Flickr
  • URL: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasacommons/
  • Rights statement: https://www.flickr.com/help/terms
  • Annotation: The NASA Commons site on Flickr offers a vast collection of public domain images related to space, astronomy, and NASA missions. These images are free to use for any purpose and include photos of spacecraft, astronauts, space phenomena, and mission events.

J Paul Getty Museum

Name of the website: J Paul Getty Museum
URL: https://www.getty.edu/museum/
Rights statement: https://www.getty.edu/legal/terms-of-use/
Annotation: The J Paul Getty Museum provides access to a wide array of public domain images, artworks, and photographs. The material available includes different images of paintings, manuscripts, drawings, and photographs that are free to use for any purpose.